Maintaining His Cover 4 After The Case or The Tal
by smk123
Summary: Amanda and Lee meet for the first time after the biker gang case.


Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.

Time line - end of the second season, stays pretty much in canon

Rating -Mature

Warnings - mild language, sexual situations

Genre - Fluff/Humour

Author - Charlie

Summary - Amanda and Lee meet for the first time after the biker gang case.

Notes: This is the fourth and final installment in a 4 part mini-series "Maintaining His Cover." You really need to read the first 3 parts in order to appreciate this story. Parts 1 - 3 are available on the Wicky Archives as well Fanfiction.

Constructive feedback is welcome.

Maintaining His Cover - 4 - After the Case

Lee stood in the shower stall, his arms braced against the wall, his head tilted forward. The water pounded against his shoulders and upper back, helping the tense muscles loosen. He'd been undercover for a month as a member of a biker gang and staying in a role for that long took its toll. An agent's true identity had to be suppressed 24/7 until, after awhile, you started to question who you were, whose side you were on...the mental and physical strain wasn't to be taken lightly.

He had asked his boss, Billy Melrose, for a week off to rest and get his head back on straight. Instead, he had gotten 3 days and an appointment with Dr. Pfaff, the Agency's "shrink." Lee had argued with Billy that he didn't need to talk to a professional. He needed time to sleep and relax. He could find his own "therapist" in one of his four black books. Naturally, the section chief had scoffed at Lee's proposal and handed him an appointment card. Pfaff would be waiting for him at 10:00 Tuesday morning - enjoy the long weekend.

Lee turned in the shower so that the water pounded on his chest. He grabbed the bar of soap and started to lather up. Mindlessly, he traced the routine pattern across his body - first the left side of his chest, and then the right. Down and across his stomach, up his left side, then his left arm and shoulder... Ow! He paused and peered at the tender spot on his left shoulder - a love bite left by last night's "therapist" aka Terri.

He paused and thought about their evening. Diner and dancing followed by a movie at his apartment. A little wine, a little snuggling and then the inevitable ending for an evening out. Strange, he thought to himself. The memories of last night were just "all right." He'd had a nice time. The food was good. The movie was entertaining. Terri was fun, beautiful, good in bed - all the ingredients for a great time. Yes, he should have had a great time but instead it was just - okay.

Why wasn't he feeling relaxed or satiated or energized? His encounters usually left him in one of those states. Resuming washing up, he decided that the problem was his last case. He was still tired and yet keyed up at the same time. Billy really should have given him a longer break. While the case had been routine in many ways, it had been long and wasn't without its own unique complications.

First, there was the whole drug issue. The agency had become involved at the request of Senator McGiven who was campaigning for stronger anti-drug laws, stiffer sentencing and more money for enforcement. He had wanted the Agency to take this group down and planned to use the information gained to support his position. Lee had no problem with that - he'd seen the devastation of drug addiction. In fact, Lee had put extra effort into the case to ensure that there were no loop-holes that would allow the case to be dismissed on technicalities.

Then there was "Mike." Mike was the son of one of Senator McGiven's closest friends and he wanted the boy out, no publicity and no charges laid. Lee wasn't in favour of this. The boy was a rich, spoiled brat who deserved whatever he got, but the call wasn't his to make. Instead, Lee had ensured that the boy stayed drunk more often than not. In this manner, Mike had missed being involved in several key drug deals and had spent the night of the sting, passed out in the gang's headquarters. Lee had made arrangements for a team to remove the boy from the house and return him to his family while the rest of the gang was at the warehouse, being arrested. As far as Lee knew, Mike was now in a treatment facility. He hoped the young man would be receptive to the counselling provided, but he had his doubts.

Mike wasn't one of Lee's favourite people by time the case was over. At first, Lee had tried to befriend him but the younger man's attitude really stunk. After a few weeks, Lee had resolved to just view him as an annoyance to be tolerated. Mike had been rude and cocky, trying to play the tough guy but Lee could have handled that. An active dislike had developed when Lee had come across Mike trying to manhandle Amanda.

Amanda had been sent to drop off a message for Lee that contained last minute instructions about the upcoming sting that would be the downfall of the gang. Amanda, by virtue of just being Amanda, had ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mike, and his buddy Lester, had noticed Amanda near Lee's motorcycle and decided that she would be their entertainment for the afternoon. For her part, Amanda had tried her best to get away but the odds hadn't been in her favour - two against one. The bikers had already slapped her and had her arm twisted behind her back when Lee had arrived on the scene.

He'd taken great satisfaction in knocking Mike down and then pinning him to the ground with a strategically placed foot across the younger man's wind pipe. Mike had scurried off, anxious to avoid Lee's wrath. Seeing Mike's fate, Lester had relinquished Amanda and that should have been the end of it. Unfortunately, Lester had hung around and Lee, in order to maintain his cover, had pretended to be overcome with lust for Amanda. He had carried her away to his bedroom only to be followed by Lester who was seeking vicarious thrills by peeking in at the two supposed lovers. Still maintaining his cover, Lee had proceeded to passionately rip off Amanda's T-shirt and press frenzied kisses over her person.

Lester had finally tired of watching, or gotten frustrated that he wasn't getting a piece of the action. Either way he had left, much to Lee's relief. Lee had found the lines between his role and his real self blurring. He had started to forgot why he was lying on top of Amanda and had become lost in the delicious sensations created by her hands on his bare back. The scent of her had driven him wild and he had kissed her feverishly, plunging his tongue into her mouth, moving against her, aching to feel even more of her smooth bare flesh pressed to his...

Lee suddenly realized he was standing in the shower fantasizing about his coworker, the direction and intensity of his thoughts becoming evident on his lower body. He quickly finished his shower, dressed and headed off to work.

At the Agency:

Stepping out of the elevator, Lee walked down the hallway of The Agency. He'd worked there for 10 years and sometimes felt more at home in the underground complex than he did in his own apartment. He nodded at a few other agents and smiled at a few of the members of the Steno pool. They always seemed to find a reason to be in the halls at the same time that he was. Lee had no illusions as to why - he knew his reputation as a ladies man and he openly acknowledged that it was well deserved.

Scarecrow had wined, dined and bedded a large percentage of the Steno-pool. He offered them a good time, they enjoyed themselves, he was able to relieve the tension that life as an agent caused - it worked for everyone involved. Some of the ladies even bragged to their friends about being part of his harem and the sensual pleasures he had shown them. Lee didn't care. He wasn't looking for a deep relationship and he always made sure the girls knew this before dinner was over. If they hinted at wanting more, he took them home after the meal. If they would play by the rules, the evening progressed.

He felt no animosity for the ones who wanted more - in some ways, he actually respected them for knowing what they wanted in life and being courageous enough to go for it. Neither did he look down on the girls who accepted his conditions. They were like him, enjoying the moments of passion but knowing that, in this business, a real relationship was out of the question.

And so, it was with no surprise, that Lee felt a hand sliding up his arm and warm breath tickling his ear.

"Hey, lover boy! You've been away for quite a while," cooed a tall brunette named Sophie.

"Been busy, Sophie. You know how it is." Lee smiled at the woman who had snuck up behind him. She proceeded to slide her body around him, ensuring that her breasts made contact with his back, arm and chest, before stepping away. She was wearing a red t-shirt and looked fantastic.

"Do you want to get together tonight? Maybe drinks after work?" Sophie asked.

"Sure, 5:30? " Lee agreed, thinking that possibly Terri from last night hadn't been the right "therapist." Maybe Sophie would do the trick.

"See you then," Sophie replied, trailing her fingers down his chest and then walking slowly away, making sure that he had plenty of opportunity to appreciate her swaying hips.

Lee stood for a moment thinking that Sophie reminded him of something or someone but the thought slipped away. He shrugged. If it was important it would come back to him. He continued down the hall and encountered several other female employees. All greeted him warmly. Some were disappointed that he was already busy for the night but assured him that they'd be available if he found himself at loose ends later in the week.

Strange, he mused to himself. A lot of them were wearing red today - just like 3 days ago, when he had been in for debriefing. He wondered why red was so popular. It wasn't near Christmas or Valentines Day, or the Fourth of July for that matter. And , he'd always believed that women didn't want to be dressed the same as anyone else. In fact, he recalled being at an embassy party and his companion for the night had been mortified that another woman had a dress similar to hers. She'd spent the night sulking on the sidelines despite his reassurances that it didn't matter to him. Maybe the fashion rules had changed again, he decided.

Making his way across the bullpen, he spied Amanda working at her desk - he had to speak to her. His thoughts in the shower this morning had reminded him that they needed to have a little talk to make sure she knew that what had happened during this past case was just work.

Checking his watch, he realized his talk with Amanda would have to wait. He only had time to grab a cup of coffee and make his way down to see Pfaff. Damn, he hated these sessions. The man wanted to pry into your head and give you some ridiculous explanation for your own thoughts. Lee quickly drank his coffee and grimaced - it was cold! The coffee maker was broken again. He slammed his cup down and headed to Pfaff's office.

By time Lee was done with Pfaff, his mood was decidedly sour. Pfaff had read Lee's debriefing for the case as well as some of the notes that had been added by other agents involved in a peripheral manner. After going on and on about the difficulty of maintaining your own identity while undercover, Pfaff had wanted to know if Lee had ever felt "out of control" as if the biker character were taking over. Were his memories of any events foggy? Had he done things that he had later regretted? Would his actions negatively impact his ability to work as a team member back at the Agency?

Lee knew the man was just itching to find any small thing that would justify an in depth analysis of the Scarecrow. Lee had responded with text book answers to all of Pfaff's inquiries. Yes, he had always maintained an awareness that he was Lee Stetson, playing a role. No he had no regrets about his actions while under cover. Yes, he had good recall of all events. Yes, he was ready to resume work. Of course, he was able to interact with all members of his section. No, he had never felt out of control....

'That was a lie,' Lee's inner voice had said. 'You were out of control when Amanda was in your arms.'

' No I wasn't,' he argued back at himself. 'I knew what I was doing.'

' Oh, really? You knew you were passionately kissing Mrs. King and it was completely within your control?'

' Well, maybe a little out of control ...'

At that point, Lee realized that Pfaff was indeed talking about Amanda. Lee wondered how she had become part of the conversation. She had only made that one drop. There had been a slight problem, but quickly dealt with, and that's all that had happened as far as the Agency needed to be concerned. It was all that had been in his report.

"Now, Mr. Stetson, how do you feel about Mrs. King and her involvement with this case?" Pfaff asked.

"She was acting as a courier. She did a good job."

"But there was a problem," Pfaff prodded.

"A slight one. Two of the bikers noticed her and took a liking to her. I appeared and they agreed to leave her alone. When the coast was clear, she left."

"And that's all that happened?"

"Basically." Lee felt the less said, the better.

"Were you angry at Mrs. King, that you had to intervene on her behalf and possibly ruin your cover, a cover it had taken you weeks to build?"

"No. It was just bad luck and my cover was maintained."

"I see," Pfaff paused, read over part of a report and seemed to be looking at a photograph. He then scribbled more notes.

Lee was tempted to crane his neck for a peek but didn't want to give the man the satisfaction of showing curiosity. This was all such a waste of time!

Pfaff continued, "And what exactly is the nature of your relationship with Mrs. King?"

"Relationship? We don't have a relationship. We sometimes work together. She's a casual friend."

Pfaff had sat back and raised his eye brows. Lee had sat there stoically and finally Pfaff had given up, declared him fit to go back to work and sent him on his way.

By that time, it was noon. The bullpen was almost empty - Amanda's desk was cleared off and he found out that she'd gone home for the day. Lee scowled at the news. He had wanted to clear the air between them and then get Amanda to help him type up his notes for the case. Billy was really getting touchy about late reports and Lee wanted this one done and off of his desk so that he could meet Sophie for drinks.

He sat down at his desk, pulled out his notes and got to work. It was 5:30 when he felt warm lips caress the back of his neck. Hmmmm, Sophie!

"Is Scarecrow ready to play?" she purred.

Lee sighed and looked at the unfinished report. He looked longingly at Sophie in her low cut red T-shirt, her assets at eye level as she leaned over his desk. "Ahhh, Sophie. I'm going to have to break our date. Billy wants this report done today and I'm only half way through it."

Sophie pouted prettily but said she understood. She gave Lee a consolation kiss and turned to go. As she walked away, Lee stood, reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back. "You look great in that red T-shirt, Sophie." He discretely ran his hands up and down her back.

"Thanks, I wore it just for you. Does it make you want to do something?" she teased, pulling away. While Lee pondered her cryptic comment, she gave him another quick kiss and left saying, "See you tomorrow."

Lee worked until 9:00 that night. He closed the file with a sigh and checked the time. He was too tired to continue and resolved to read over the notes from the other agents tomorrow morning and Billy would have the completed report by noon. Only half a day late wasn't too bad, he reasoned.

Next morning in Arlington

Amanda finished getting dressed for work with a look of frustration on her face. It had been one of those morning. Already running late, Philip and Jamie had been fooling around during breakfast and knocked the jam over. Amanda had instinctively reached out to keep it from falling on the floor and half the contents had landed on her blouse. The pink top was now soaking in the laundry room and Amanda was getting dressed for the second time that morning.

The contents of her closet were rather meagre today as the washing machine was broken, yet again. She looked doubtfully at the red blouse in her hand. It was the only thing suitable for work given the weather forecast. They were predicting another hot day but due to recent events at work, she was reluctant to wear red garment. Checking the time, she realized she couldn't delay any longer. She put the blouse on and teamed it with a skirt. Hmm...the morning air was cool so she topped the outfit with a white cardigan that could be removed as the day warmed up. She applied her usual discreet makeup, fastened her earrings and slipped on her shoes. Giving herself a quick once over, she decided she looked sufficiently professional for the office.

Since the day she had come back from making that drop, looking like she'd just had a quick romp in bed, Amanda had been a bit self-conscious about her appearance. She knew no one actually believed she was the type to "fool around" in the middle of the day, but a few of the girls in Steno had given her a bit of a hard time about her encounter with Lee.

It was all Francine's fault. Amanda had found out that the blonde agent had made a big deal about the notes from her debriefing, at least until Mr. Melrose had put a stop to it. He was such a nice man! He had assured her that the whole incident was all part of maintaining their covers and that she and Lee had done a fine job. Yesterday, no one had said anything to her so she hoped that it had all blown over.

Lee ... he was back from his long weekend. She couldn't believe that after a month undercover, he was only allowed 3 days off! She knew he had been in the office yesterday, but had managed to avoid him. Amanda was a bit nervous about meeting him given what had happened the last time they were together. She knew that his passion hadn't been real but ...wow! His reputation was certainly well deserved. Being seduced by Lee was an experience not soon forgotten and she hoped she could look him in the face without blushing.

Of course, he'd be giving her "the talk" just like he always did. They were just maintaining their cover, it hadn't meant anything ... she knew the drill and it was a bit embarrassing that he always thought any casual contact between them would have her so overcome with desire that she couldn't tell acting from reality. Just once, she'd like to give "the talk" to him and see how he liked it!

Of course, even if she did, he wouldn't be the least bit phased by the situation. Lee was a professional and always kept himself detached. Objectivity made you effective. She'd heard the other agents say that many times. She just hoped that she could remain objective and not recall his tongue in her mouth, his hands on her breasts, his hips moving against hers ... Gulping, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door. This was not going to be easy!

Later that morning, at the Agency:

"Good morning, Mrs. Marsden!" Amanda said breezily. "Today's password is yardstick."

Mrs Marsden nodded, handed her a badge and pressed the hidden button that allowed access to the secret elevator. Mrs. King was always so happy and friendly. She was glad that last week's incident, hadn't changed that. Even in the front foyer, word had spread about her encounter with the Scarecrow! It appeared that everything was back to normal.

Amanda's first job that morning was preparing a conference room that was going to be used for a high level security meeting. Mr. Melrose had put Amanda in charge. She had photocopied the agendas, set out glasses and jugs of water. Freshly sharpened pencils and an assortment of pens were ready. A box of tissue was placed on the side table. Now to get the projector going.

In the bullpen, Lee had watched Amanda bustle about. He vaguely noted that she was wearing a white sweater and skirt, her hair held back neatly in combs - quite a change from her appearance a week ago! He wanted her to read over the report he'd worked so late on yesterday, maybe even read over the notes that the other agents had added to the file - he hated paper work! She seemed sort of busy at the moment... he'd catch her later on. Instead, maybe Sophie was around and he could make plans for the evening.

Entering the Steno pool, Lee scanned the area for Sophie. He noticed that only a very few of the girls had red on today. That trend has been short lived, he mused. Lee caught a glimpse of a tall brunette hurrying out the far door. There's Sophie, he thought to himself and she was wearing red again, just for him! Scarecrow smirked a bit and decided to surprise her. He followed her down the hall, around the corner and ...which way did she go? Left to Crypto or right to the conference rooms? He stood indecisively for a moment but then saw a red shirt topped with brown hair disappear into Conference room B.

'Ah ha! No one outsmarts the Scarecrow', he gleefully said to himself.

Meanwhile, Amanda had been struggling with the projector. It wouldn't light - the bulb was burnt out. She'd gone to maintenance and gotten a new bulb only to discover it was the wrong size. Back down to maintenance to get another new bulb. Yes, it was the right size but no, it didn't work. Holding it up to the light, she realized that someone had put a used bulb back in the package of new bulbs. Sighing in frustration, she headed back down to maintenance to get yet another new bulb.

Amanda was getting warm from all of this walking back and forth and veered off to her desk, taking off her cardigan and then proceeding to Conference room B. Wearing just the short sleeve red blouse was much more comfortable! She entered the conference room, not bothering to put on the light, reasoning that she'd just have to turn it off again in order to test the projector.

Amanda was only about 3 feet inside the room when she heard someone enter behind her. The door clicked shut, plunging the room into darkness. Strong hands grabbed her by the waist, spun her around and she was shocked to hear Lee's voice!

"Hi beautiful! Did you miss me?" he said in a soft sexy voice. Too surprised to say anything, Amanda just stood there.

Lee gave her a long slow kiss on the mouth, wrapping one arm around her while the other ran through her hair and cupped the back of her head. He broke the kiss briefly to whisper in her ear, "When you wear red, I feel like I can't keep my hands off of you." and he began to run his hands up and down her back while kissing her deeply again.

Amanda had been overcome by this unexpected display but managed to gather her wits and pull back slightly. She inhaled and opened her mouth to protest.

Lee took this as an invitation and his mouth dipped down again, his tongue plundering the sweet cavern that had been opened to him. A groan rose in his throat. Lee's hands worked her blouse free from her waist band, and skimmed up her bare back, enjoying the feel of the soft, smooth skin.

Unwillingly, Amanda found herself responding to Lee's advances. The scent and taste of him were intoxicating and she pressed closer, encouraging him to deepen the kiss even further. His hips moved suggestively against her and suddenly sanity returned. Lee's hands were on her bare skin! When had that happened?

"Wow," Lee thought, "Sophie never affected me this way before! This woman is definitely the therapy I need." His hands began to roam forward, searching for her breasts to cup and fondle. Suddenly, he realized that Sophie was no longer participating in the kiss. She was pushing him away.

"She's right," he realized. "Things are getting way too hot for the office!" Reluctantly, he let her go and took a half a step back, still keeping his hands on her waist and big smile on his face.

Sophie hadn't spoken yet but Lee sensed her reaching towards the light switch. Suddenly the room was bright and Lee found himself staring into the wide eyes of Amanda King!

"Lee Stetson! What has come over you?" Amanda gasped, still not believing what had just happened. It was almost like the biker gang case all over again, only this time they weren't playing a role!

"AMANDA ...?" Lee's smile dropped from his face and his shock matched hers.

"That kind of ... behaviour ... is only acceptable when we are maintaining our covers on a case! Surely you realized ... mean, we're friends but ... our relationship isn't ..." She stopped, her indignation leaving her uncharacteristically at a loss for words.

"What...? But, how...?" he sputtered. As she paused, he managed to squeeze out a coherent sentence, "I was following Sophie from Steno!"

"Well, I am NOT Sophie from Steno!" Amanda huffed.

"I know, I know," Lee belatedly realized that he was still holding her by the waist and dropped his hands, quickly stepping farther away. He ran agitated fingers through his hair and looked around the room searching for the words needed to explain. "I would never presume... I mean, I know that you and I... well, of course, we're just ..." He failed miserably in trying to express himself and reflected that this was really embarrassing!

Amanda regained her composure more quickly than he did and sighed deeply, "Okay. This was obviously a mistake. You and I - we do NOT have this type of a relationship, we are partners but that is all! You mistook me for someone else, though how I don't know - you're supposed to be the super spy after all." Lee opened his mouth as if to interrupt but Amanda raised her finger and eye brow giving him a look that only a mother could. He subsided under her glare and stared at the ground.

"The problem now is that, once again, I'll be seen walking around looking like I've been... well... having some "afternoon delight" - in the morning! And once again, it's your fault!"

"Now wait a minute. Just wait a minute!" Lee broke in, looking at her in confusion. " What do you mean 'once again'?"

"You know exactly what I mean! Remember last week? The bikers? You pretended to ravish me? Not that I wasn't grateful to you for getting me away from Mike and Lester but the looks and the questions I got when I came back here - it was so embarrassing and now, just when it's finally died down, it'll start all over again!"

"Amanda, I still don't follow you. I know that we had to ...well... kiss and ..," Lee paused, uncharacteristically embarrassed. Sex was never a topic he had trouble discussing. It was just that with Amanda, well ... it just didn't seem right!

"Of course, YOU never noticed what I looked like when I left the biker's house, right? Why should you? You NEVER notice me! But, not Francine! Oh, no, no, no! SHE noticed AND made sure that a written description was included with the transcripts of my debriefing AND - even I can't believe she did this - she got a still shot of me taken from the surveillance tapes and had it stapled to the file!"

Lee had been looking at Amanda during her tirade. She was right. He didn't notice her or, maybe more correctly, he purposefully didn't notice her, though why, he wasn't sure. For some reason, he didn't really want to explore the reasons behind this. Lee was, however, noticing her now. Her eyes flashed brightly with indignation, her cheeks were flushed, her mouth had that thoroughly kissed looked and her lipstick was smeared. The red blouse that had caught his attention was untucked and wrinkled and her hair looked like someone had run his fingers through it.

God, she looked desirable. It was all he could do to keep his hands at his side and not start up where he had left off. 'Steady Stetson,' he told himself, taking a deep breath. He drew on his agency training and looked at her objectively. Yes, she was right. Anyone with any sense would know what she'd been up to. In all honesty, this wasn't her fault but she'd end up taking the brunt of it.

Amanda had finally stopped for breath and noticed Lee observing her. He had an unfamiliar look on his face that made her feel sort of ... warm all over. If she didn't know better, she'd think that he ... No. It couldn't be ... could it? Either way, she was calming down now and willing to forgive him for his mistake. She could never stay mad at him for long and being able to dish out "the talk" ... well, that had actually been sort of satisfying!

Her eyes scanned his face and saw evidence of her lipstick. His mouth was slightly puffy and his tie was askew. He was still staring at her and it made her a bit nervous. Action was better than withstanding his intense examination. Looking around, she leaned over and pulled a tissue from the box she had placed on the table just an hour earlier. She wet it in the water jug and stepped towards Lee, saying, "I'll just wipe my lipstick off your face."

Lee cleared his throat and murmured his thanks, continuing to stare intently at her as she stepped closer. The feel of her fingers holding his chin in place and the sensation of her breath gently fanning his face, started to break through the fragile grip he had on his "agent" facade. He swallowed hard and was grateful that she completed the job quickly.

Amanda stepped back, reached out to straighten his tie and said, "You'll do - people will just think you were 'fishing' in the Steno pool again."

He smiled slightly, feeling a bit ashamed at the truth of her statement. Grabbing another tissue, he said, "I'll return the favour." Gently he wiped the smeared lipstick from around her mouth. "There's not much left on your lips..."

"Oh, that's okay. The cheap kind never stays on very well, anyway."

"There's no mirror here," Lee looked around. "Maybe I can fix your hair for you?" He saw that the combs were on the floor and bent to pick them up. Using them to tame her curls, he managed to make her hair look reasonably presentable. "Never thought I'd be a ladies maid," he quipped trying to ease the tension that had built between them while he had arranged her hair.

"Oh, I'm sure someone would pay big bucks to have you, should you ever make that a career move," she teased back.

Lee stepped back to observe his handiwork. Her hair was pretty good, her lipstick was faded but at least it wasn't smeared. Her mouth, well, he'd done a good job of kissing her and only time and, maybe a bit of ice, could change that. Checking his watch, he suggested, "Why don't you take off for lunch and I'll finish up whatever you were doing here? By time you get back, your lips won't be so puffy."

Amanda thanked Lee, told him what still had to be done and turned to go. He quickly grabbed her arm and swung her back into the room.

"What now?" she asked in surprise.

"You're still untucked."

"Oops! Thanks!" Amanda remedied the problem and hurried on her way. Luck was with her and she managed to grab her purse and head off for lunch, no one the wiser.

Lee finished off preparing the conference room and went back to his desk. Picking up the case file that he had intended to have Amanda read, he started to thumb through the contributions from other agents. Yes, there was Beaman's report of making a drop on the 12th , Francine had notes about the 17th. He skimmed ahead and finally found the report that outlined Amanda's involvement.

Stapled to the top was a photo taken from a surveillance video. It showed Amanda entering the Agency, looking much as she had just a few moments ago. Her hair was mussed, her mouth was swollen and her lipstick smeared. Her lower face and neck looked like she had a rash and he briefly puzzled over that until he recalled the stubble he had sported as part of his role. Wow, he'd really gotten her good! He winced and wondered how long she had had to endure those marks as a reminder of what had happened. No wonder she was upset!

Lee continued to peruse the photo noting the tight, ripped jeans and the too large T-shirt that was falling off her shoulder. The thought of her wearing his shirt was intriguing and he wondered where that shirt was now. He shifted a bit uncomfortably in his chair - this sexy looking Amanda had a definite affect on him.

Carefully, Lee removed the staple that attached the photo to the report. Francine had really outdone herself this time. It wasn't necessary to have a photo of Amanda on the report. As the agent of record, he was responsible for the file and ultimately decided what went in it. This did not belong. He held the photo thoughtfully in his hand for a moment and then took out his wallet to slip the picture inside. 'I can't just throw it in the garbage,' he reasoned. 'Who knows who might find it?' He gave the photo one last look before putting it away, once again noticing the black T-shirt falling off of her shoulder.

'That's right,' he recalled. 'I had to lend her mine because I.....ripped off her RED T-shirt.' Suddenly, some things were starting to make sense to him. Sitting up straighter in his chair, he decided he'd better pay careful attention while reading Amanda's debriefing.


End file.
